by theygamesWhat’s a buccaneer’s worst nightmare? Scurvy? Running out of grog? Having to share their treasure? Mark of the Deep makes all those worries pale in comparison, stranding you on a cursed island that warps those who tread upon it. With shades of Hades and Hollow Knight, this piratical adventure separates you from your trusty-ish crew and tasks you with swinging and slaughtering your way to freedom. And if you’ve got a taste for adventure, you can play a demo right now.
Mark of the Deep sets sail today, but despite this pirate game’s nautical trappings, you don’t have the luxury of blasting every one of this game’s sixteen bosses with your ship’s cannon. Instead, this isometric soulslike has you roaming and slashing your way through foe upon foe, from slimy things to cultists to the undead.
The good news is that you do get your hands on some handy gear, including a grappling hook and a flintlock pistol so you don’t have to be so close you can smell your opponent’s breath. There are 80 enemy types to fight, but you can level up, which should be enough to stop you from joining the island’s more flesh-free inhabitants. Metroidvania elements also come into play.
Developer Mad Mimic has doubled up on the puns, casting you as Marcus “Rookie” Ramsey, who is also a mystical Mark Keeper. There are side-quests to tackle and multiple endings, so your choices should have genuine consequences. Given the game’s theme, it’s a fair bet one of those will include betraying your crewmates and stealing whatever power the island holds.
Mark of the Deep is out now on Steam and the Epic Games Store, priced at $25.49 / £21.24 including a 15% launch discount. For a taster, you can download a demo here.
If you’re after a less piratical outing, take a look at the best soulslikes and the best indie games.
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